A Case of Plasma Cell Leukemia Arising De Novo: A Rare and Fatal Disease

Plasma cell leukemia (PCL) is an aggressive form of multiple myeloma characterized by an increasing number of circulating plasma cells in the peripheral (circulating) blood. Primary PCL (pPCL) is the form of monoclonal gammopathy that is the most severe with a high mortality rate. Its incidence will be increasing, given the expected changes in clinical criteria for diagnosis. We present a case to help further understand the disease and the proposed criteria changes, as more research will be needed to better understand the impact of specific genetic findings on the prognosis of pPCL and secondary PCL (sPCL). We also feature the presentation, morphological changes in the peripheral smear, and cytogenetics of this rare disease.